1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for transferring plant material received in a container. The invention also relates to a method for singularizing plant material received in a container. In addition, the invention relates to a system for transferring containers for plant material, in particular transferring such containers into larger containers. In addition, the invention also relates to a system for singularizing containers for plant material, in particular a container comprising a row of a number of cells defining plant positions.
The invention further relates to a container for plant material with a plant position-defining cell which can be used in the transfer of plant material into larger cells. The invention further relates to a container for plant material with a row of plant position-defining cells. The invention also relates to the use of such containers for plant material (e.g., use of the present containers in embodiments of the present methods).
2. Background Information
A container for plant material is generally known. An example of a known container is a tray for plants. Such trays are for instance manufactured with an injection-moulding process or by deep-drawing, or have an otherwise integral form. Normally defined in a container are cells which are usually formed as recesses or cavities relative to the upper surface of such a container.
Substrate in which plant material is positioned can be arranged in such a cell. Such plant material is for instance a cutting, a seedling, a plant and so on. In an embodiment the cell is also the container.
Such known containers, in particular containers with a plurality of cells, have drawbacks. It is thus difficult to distinguish the individual cells when a leaf of plant material in one cell extends over the substrate and/or the plant material in a neighbouring cell. This is particularly inconvenient when the plant material placed in the container has to be transplanted to another container, such as a flower pot or open ground and so on. This is particularly inconvenient when an automated process or automated installation is desirable for automated processing of the plant material in such a container. The individual cells cannot be distinguished, or only with difficulty, and when the substrate and/or the plant material in a specific cell must be gripped with cutting or gripping means, damage can be caused to leaf material of adjacent plant material, even if it is still possible to orient the gripping or cutting means in sufficiently precise manner toward the cell having therein the plant material selected for transplantation.
Is also known to transport cuttings by accommodating at least a part of a root of the cutting in a plastic bag. The bag can also comprise a substrate part. There are time limitations for the transport of cuttings. A cutting in a plastic bag is preferably transplanted within a day to another container so that further growth is not impeded by the transport.